taste is a commercial strategy.

Taste plays a more important role than we give it credit for. It is a commercial tool.

And for developers, it may be the most underestimated one.

We often think of taste as something superficial or elitist or objective, when people are described as having or not having taste, but this is a fallacy. Everybody has a taste. Taste is the heuristic for how people make choices in fashion, food, music, film, friends, life partners and even architecture. Taste shapes how people make decisions, but more than that, it shapes how they want to be seen. Taste is inherent to people’s sense of self.

It brings people together and sets them apart in equal measure. It creates a sense of belonging among those who share similar values and interests. It helps people define who they are.

Consumer brands understand this well. They know how to tap into taste to build loyalty and position themselves within popular culture. It’s about knowing your audience and letting them know that.

In sectors like build-to-rent and commercial workplaces, where choice is expanding, tenants are drawn to spaces that reflect their identity and values.

They are not just looking for a good building. They are looking for the right feeling. A sense that this place is for them.

That is where taste becomes strategic.

When a development knows who it is for and reflects that understanding in every detail, it performs better. Taste becomes part of the strategy. It tells people they are in the right place. It signals they are among the right crowd. It builds trust.

And it does not have to cost more. It just has to be intentional.

Taste is not a luxury. It is a commercial strategy. For developers, design is a strategic tool for differentiation, leasing velocity, and long-term asset performance.